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Pushover Notifications for Server Updates - iOS, Android & Desktop Alerts

Pushover Notifications for Server Updates - iOS, Android & Desktop Alerts

Update-Watcher sends push notifications to your iOS, Android, and Desktop devices via the Pushover service. Pushover provides reliable delivery with configurable priority levels, custom sounds, and per-device targeting. It is a popular choice for server administrators who want immediate alerts on their phone without relying on a chat application.

Setup on Pushover

Step 1: Create a Pushover Account

  1. Sign up at pushover.net.
  2. Install the Pushover app on your devices (iOS, Android, or Desktop).
  3. Log in on each device. Your user key is displayed on the main dashboard page after logging in at pushover.net.

Step 2: Create an Application

  1. Go to pushover.net/apps/build.
  2. Enter a name (e.g., “Update Watcher”) and optionally upload an icon.
  3. Click Create Application.
  4. Copy the API Token/Key displayed on the application page.

Step 3: Store Credentials

Store the credentials in environment variables:

Terminal
export UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_APP_TOKEN="<your-pushover-app-token>"
export UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_USER_KEY="<your-pushover-user-key>"
Store the API token and user key in environment variables rather than placing them directly in your configuration file.

Configuration Options

OptionRequiredDefaultDescription
app_tokenYes–Pushover application API token. Use an environment variable reference.
user_keyYes–Your Pushover user key (or a group key for multiple recipients). Use an environment variable reference.
deviceNo–Target a specific device name. If omitted, the notification is sent to all devices registered to the user.
priorityNo0Notification priority. -2 = lowest (no alert), -1 = low (quiet), 0 = normal, 1 = high (bypass quiet hours), 2 = emergency (repeats until acknowledged).
soundNo–Notification sound name. See Pushover sound list for available options (e.g., pushover, bike, siren, spacealarm).

Configuration Example

config.yaml
notifiers:
  - type: pushover
    app_token: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_APP_TOKEN}
    user_key: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_USER_KEY}
    device: "my-phone"
    priority: 0
    sound: "pushover"

Minimal Configuration

config.yaml
notifiers:
  - type: pushover
    app_token: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_APP_TOKEN}
    user_key: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_USER_KEY}

High Priority for Security Updates

You can configure a second Pushover notifier instance with a higher priority specifically for security-critical notifications, or rely on Update-Watcher’s built-in security detection to highlight critical updates in the notification body:

config.yaml
notifiers:
  - type: pushover
    app_token: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_APP_TOKEN}
    user_key: ${UPDATE_WATCHER_PUSHOVER_USER_KEY}
    priority: 1
    sound: "siren"

Notification Format

Pushover notifications include:

  • Title – Server hostname and update summary.
  • Body – A text listing of each checker with available updates, showing package names and versions. Security updates are labeled distinctly.
  • Priority indicator – The configured priority level determines how the notification is displayed on the device (silent, normal alert, bypass quiet hours, or emergency repeat).
  • URL – A supplementary URL can be included linking back to Update-Watcher documentation or your server dashboard.

Priority Levels

PriorityBehavior
-2 (Lowest)No notification sound or vibration. Appears in the notification list only.
-1 (Low)Quiet notification. No sound but may show briefly.
0 (Normal)Standard notification with sound and display.
1 (High)Bypasses quiet hours. The notification always triggers an alert.
2 (Emergency)Repeats the notification every 30 seconds until the user acknowledges it. Use with caution.

Testing

Run Update-Watcher to verify the Pushover notification:

Terminal
update-watcher run

Check the Pushover app on your devices. If no updates are available and send_policy is only-on-updates, temporarily set send_policy: "always" to force a notification.

For troubleshooting:

Terminal
update-watcher run --verbose

A successful delivery returns a JSON response with "status": 1 from the Pushover API. Common errors include an invalid app token ("token is invalid") or an invalid user key.

💡
Testing tip: If no updates are available on your system, temporarily set send_policy: "always" in your configuration to force a notification and verify the integration is working.

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